Roundabout



May 29, 1923. 1,457,035

J. E. KOTLIK ROUNDABOUT Filed May 8, 1920 2"Sheets-Sheet l May 29, 1923.

J. E. KOTLIK ROUNDABOUT Filed May 8. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $Jft70fl JQIZZL K, i al/enter.

Patented May 29, 1923.

JOSEPH E. KOTLIK, or HAMBURG, NEW YORK.

ROUND-ABOUT.

Application filed ma a, 1920. Serial 110,379,809.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, J OSEBH E. KOTLIK, a citizen of the United Hamburg, in the county of Erie and State of vNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roundabouts, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to roundabouts, and more particularly to an apparatus of this kind'adapted for house use; it being designed to'be operated by a child seated on the traveling member of the apparatus.

The priinarypobject of my" invention is the production of a roundabout for either house or outdoor use, the parts of which can be easily disassembled so that it may be stored away when not in use, and which canas readily be placed into operative'con dition and be capable of use in an ordinary sized room. A .f u'rther object is to provide a roundabout with an improved track and a traveling member having'improved tractionele- 'm'ent's adapted'to travel along said track.

Another object is to provide .a devicein which the track is of circular formation and in which the traveling member may-be adjusted to properly fit and travel along tracks of different diameter, thus making it possible to utilize a traveling member commonly for tracks of different diameters.

' the arrangement and A furtherobject is to provide a wheeled support for the traveling member, which can be. easily adjusted to position. the traction wheels of said support at the proper angles relatively so that the traveling membermaytravel overthe circular track without binding orcausing'unnecessary friction.

With these and other objects in view to appear hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and in combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed. out 'in' the subjoine'd claims.

In the drawings f Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the traveling member of theroundabout-and a portion of the track on which said traveling member is mounted for continuous circular traveling movement. I

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the center standard or pivot element 'showing'parts of the sweeps connected thereto.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged verticalsection taken on line 3, Fig. 1., I a

States, residing at wide bottom member" 6 The members 6 and 7 of Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line Fig. 1.

Fig. 5;'- is a horizontal section taken on" line 5+5, Fig. 1. I

"Fig."6"is a'planview of the roundabout. Fig. 7 is an'enlar'ged'plan view of'a por-' tion of shown insection] to illustrate the manner of connecting the sweeps thereto'.

.Fig. Sis a radial section taken on line 8-'8,"Fig. 7.. I The apparatus comprises a fixed member 1 and atraveling member 2. Thefixed memberincludes a'circulartrack 3,.a center standard or. pivot element 4:, and suit-* able combination tying and bracing "elements" 5 connecting the center standardior pivot element with'the trackand bracing said pivot element. I

The track is preferably" formed of a and-a narrow top member 7 whereby two surfaces 8, 9, respectively, are furnished.- the track are'pref erably formed-0f wood cut into segmental portions or sections 5 the ends of; adjoining I sections 'abutting,1 and. with: the joints of the upper member broken with'respect to those of the lower member, the joints of the upper member being preferably h'alf' waybetween' the ,joints of the lower member; i. At each joint of-thedower member- 6, an inwardly-directed connector. 10 isprovided, which is fastened tothe inner: concav'ed edge" of said lower member by means -11, the bolts- 0f each connector the track, I with portions thereof traction or riding lower member are securely connected together. As shown in Fig. 6,: the sections of the upper member are bolted or'otherwise fastened to the lower member, as at 1 2, thusproviding a circular track with two traction OI' riding surfaces and the: parts of which trackjcan be easily disassembled. I

The center standardor pivot element 4 is of cross formation in' section and is preferably formed 'of three pieces of wood, two of which are narrower than' the third piece and are fastened edgewise to opposite sides of said third piece, as clearly shown in Fig.2. Extending upwardly from the center of said standard or pivot element is 50 lindrical, as at 26, and the extremities there- 14, and fastened to each agonal braces 17 a pivot pin-13. It is of course to be understood that this center standard or pivot element may be constructed of other material and may also be otherwise formed without departing from the principle involved, but for lightness and to facilitate the disassembling of the parts of the apparatus, I have of the center standard or pivot element with the sweeps 15and serve to prevent swaying of said standard or pivot element while assisting inrigidly connecting the various parts of the fixed member of the apparatus together.

The traveling member 2 of the apparatus comprises a riding or carrying element 18 and a wheeled support 19. The support 19 may be coisidered the frame of the traveling element and it is preferably formed of two pivotally connected parts 20, 21, said parts being connected together by a vertical bolt or pivot 22 passing through co-operating alternating ears or lugs 23 formed on said parts.

Extending transversely through the front end of the part 21 and the rear end of the part 20 are spindles or axles 24: which project outwardly and also inwardly from the parts through which they are passed, as best shown in Fig. 1. Each of these spindles or axles may be secured in its supporting part in any suitable manner to prevent rotation thereof, but I have shown the intermediate portion of each spindle of square formation to fit a square opening 25 formed in each of the two parts of the frame or support 19. The projecting endsof each spindle are cyof reduced in diameter and threaded, as at 27.

Fitting onto the cylindrical projecting portions of each spindle are traction wheels 28, 29. These wheels are arranged in pairs, each pair having wheels of different diameters, the smaller traction wheel 28 traveling in contact with the traction or riding surface 9 of the upper or narrow track member 7 and the larger traction wheel 29 being in contact with the traction or riding surface 8 of the bottom or wide track member 6. The traction wheels 28, 29 are preferably formed of wood and in order to reduce the frictional contact of these wheels against the riding surfaces of the track, their peripheral edges are rounded.

The traction wheels have metallic bushings 30 through which the projecting portions of the spindles are passed, an between each wheel and the part of the frame or support receiving the spindle 0f the wheel, washers 31 are arranged. Other washers 32 are placed over the threaded reduced outer extremities 27 of the spindle, and nuts 33 are threaded onto said extremities and bear against said washers 32.

Although I consider this construction simple, inexpensive, and highly efficient for the purpose, it may be varied, so long as provision is made for properly supporting the traction wheels on the frame or support 19, and for permitting rotation of said wheels.

A radially-disposed retainer arm 3 1 connects the support or frame 8 with the center standard or pivot element 4 of the fixed member, and this retainer arm, or distance retainer as it may be termed, has an opening at its inner end through which the pivot pin 13 is passed and aroundwhich pin said-retainer arm or distance retainer is i to travel. The outer extremity of this arm or retainer is made cylindrical, as best shown at 35, Fig. 3, and is passed through an opening 36 in the front end of the part 20 of the permitted p:

support or frame 19, preferably in line with the pivot pin or bolt 22 connecting the two parts of said support or frame.

The riding or carrying element 18 may be the image of any animal, a box, basket, or

any other object, but I have shown an image of a horse formed of wood in the conventional manner and on the under side of this image or horse there are two spaced lugs 37, between which that portion of the part 20 of the support or cylindrical extremity of theretainer arm or distance retainer is passed, and these lugs have openings 38 therein, which are alined with eachother and with the opening 36 in said part 20.

frame 19 receiving the The cylindrical portion at the outer exif tremity of the retainer arm or distance retainer 34, therefore .not only passes through the part, 20 of said support or frame 19, but also passes depending from the under side of the horse, and a cotter pin or other retaining device 39 is passed through the projecting extremity of the retainer arm or distance retainer through the two spaced lugs 37 so as to assure retention of the horse on said support or frame 19. The horse is therefore pivotally mounted and may oscillate or rock with the retainer arm as its center,

A rod 4.0 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the front end of the horse, as at 41, and at its lower end to the large traction wheel of the pair of wheels at the front eaa af'jae sup orter am 19, as at 42,

ranged that when eccentrically i-ranged, and therefore rod servesa's 'aconect ng rod. A Sl I1 1ll a'-I connect ng'rod 43 'pivo-tally' connects the orse at 'itslrear end, as at 4A, with the large traction 'wheelfof th pair of wheels at'the rear end 1 i 4 5,"the' connections "of rod43 being made in the amean er'as t-hose of the connecting rod 40 The: two rods, however, are so arfron't coniie'cting' rod is in a a position in. front of ftl e aixis of thetraction wheeiwith which saidfconnecting rod co-ac'ts', the pivotal point 45 of'the co-nnec-tingrod43 is in rear of the aris of the "traction wheel with which said adjusted angularly and yet retain'operative connection between said parts, and I might here state that any common form of pivot .upper member being which will allow of this, may be applied.

For instance, pivots such as shown with sufficient play between the connecting rods and the pivots.

Byproviding the surfaces at different the traction wheels of two different diameters, assurance is had that the horse will not travel from the track in the event of the retainer armor distance retainer becoming separated from. the center standard or pivot element.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is track with. two riding 1. The combination. with two traction wheels'of different diametershaving alined axes, of a circular track formed of two circular members laid one narrower than the lower member so as to leave a portion of the upper face of posed, thereby providing two traction sur-j faces on said track, one for each of said traction wheels.

and having similar different interior diameters, thus providing two traction surfaces, each member being,

formed insections abutting end to end with the joints of the upper member between the joints ofthe lower member.

3. A roundabout comprising a circular track formed in sections arranged to abut end to end, connectors directed inwardly from said circular track and secured to the ipivotaliconnection ofi'" center or of the supportfor'fraine 19, as at the 'iivotal point 42 of the elevations and having upon the other, the.

said lower member exvelement including an abutting-"ends of-adjacent.sections,=ra center support, and: rigid connections between said tachably connected thereto."

track, a "center otally-connected each of fsaid parts', -a carrying'element center support and "said connectors and de mounted on'said frame, and a'radially disposed-"distance retainer'pivoted-on said center support and having its outer-end" con? nected'tofsaidlframe'. f 5. A roundabout; track', a 3 center support, means -for-jconnecting" sa id support *wi'th said'track, a travel comprising circular.

ing-ele'inenti having aframe formed of' two pivotally connected parts; arranged 'at' I an angle track, said traveling element comprising a frame havingtwo parts provided with co-acting lugs, a pivot pin passing through to each othe'r', a carryingielemen't. mountedfor rocking movement on said a traveling element having itsaxis said carrying ele-. and a radially-di I said carrying element said lugs, a tractionwheel at thexfront and at the rear 0f said frame, a carrying ele inent pivoted at a point between its. front and rear ends to said frame, a connecting said carrying pivotal pointfl' thereof and having pivotal connection with front offsaid rod pivotally connected to element in advance of the the traction wheel at the frame, and a second connecting rod pivotally connected to said carrying element in'rear of the pivotal. point thereof and hav-' ing pivotal connection with: the traction wheel at the-rear of said frame.

7. A roundabout comprising afcircular track, anda'traveling element having its axis of rotation coincident frame, atraction wheel at the front and at the rear of said frame,

element pivotally connected to said frame ofsaid carrying element into rotary movement of said traction wheels.

8. A. roundabout comprising a circularv track having .two traction surfaces in different elevations, menthaving itsax'is with the axis of said and a traveling ele-.

track, said v traveling angularly-adj ustable V with the axis of said track including an angularly -adjust; I able 2. In a roundabout a circular track com-' prising two members of different widths exterior diameters but a carrying of rotation coincident &

frame comprising two pivotally connected parts,itraction wheels arranged in pairs at the front and rear ofsaid frame and having the wheels of each pair of-dilferent diameters, a movable carrying element mounted on said frame, and means for imparting movement from said carrying element to said traction wheels to cause rotation of the latter. t I a I 9. A roundabout comprising a circular track having two traction surfaces in different elevations, and a traveling element having/two spaced pairs ofwheels adapted for traction along said traction surfaces, the wheels of each pair being ofdifl'erent diameters, said traveling, element including a carrying element mounted for rocking movement. and connecting rods between said carrying element and the large traction 20 wheel-of each pair of Wheels.

10. A roundabout comprising a circular track, a center standard, means for connecting said standard with said track, a travelingelement having a frame formed of two pivotally connected parts to'permit of angular adjustment relatively, a distance retainer pivotally attached to said center standard and extending radially therefrom for connection to said frame, a, carrying element mounted on the outer extremity of said distance retainer for rocking move ment thereon, and connecting rods between said carrying element and said traction wheels whereby the movement of said carrying element is imparted to said traction wheels to cause traveling movementof said traveling element around said track.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signa'- ture.

Josnrn E. Kornn'n 

